Bolaji Akinola, PhD

I Delivered $15m Cash to Ex-NIMASA DG Patrick Akpobolokemi — Capt. Agaba A former Executive Director of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Captain Ezekiel Bala Agaba, has told a Federal High Court in Lagos that he personally delivered $15 million in cash to the agency’s former Director-General, Patrick Akpobolokemi. Agaba gave the testimony while appearing as a prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was initially listed as a defendant in the case but later agreed to testify for the prosecution. Akpobolokemi, who was appointed NIMASA Director-General in 2010 by former President Goodluck Jonathan and removed from office in 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari, is standing trial alongside several others on charges of conspiracy, fraudulent conversion of funds and money laundering. The EFCC alleged that the defendants diverted more than N1.15 billion under the guise of providing security intelligence in Nigeria’s maritime domain. Led in evidence by EFCC counsel Suleiman Suleiman, Agaba told the court that funds meant for pipeline surveillance were withdrawn from NIMASA accounts, converted into dollars through a bureau de change and brought to the agency’s office on Burma Road in Apapa, Lagos. Read more on Ships&Ports

Projectile Strike Forces Crew to Abandon Containership in Strait of Hormuz A containership has been struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, forcing its crew to abandon ship in a dramatic escalation of attacks on commercial vessels in one of the world’s most vital energy corridors. The Maltese-flagged Safeen Prestige was hit at about 1109 GMT, two nautical miles north of Oman, as it sailed eastbound through the narrow chokepoint. Maritime security firm Vanguard confirmed the strike, saying the projectile hit just above the waterline, sparking a fire in the engine room. The crew evacuated the vessel. The extent of the damage remains unclear. The incident tallies with an earlier alert from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which reported a container ship struck by an “unknown projectile” in the same area. No environmental impact has been reported and investigations are under way. The 1,740-TEU vessel is owned by Safeen Feeders, part of AD Ports Group. The company said most of its 122-vessel fleet is operating outside the immediate conflict zone and expects limited overall impact. The strike is one of several reported across Gulf waters in recent days. A Panama-flagged bulk carrier, MV Gold Oak, was damaged by a projectile east of Fujairah, while other vessels reported explosions or near misses off the coasts of Oman and the UAE. A containership west of Dubai also reported a projectile splash nearby without sustaining damage. Read more on Ships&Ports

US Coast Guard Arrives in Lagos for Crucial Port Security Audit The United States Coast Guard has commenced a high-level security assessment of selected Nigerian port facilities, a move widely seen as pivotal to the country’s efforts to have longstanding US entry restrictions on vessels visiting the US from Nigeria lifted. Officials said the week-long inspection forms part of routine global compliance checks under the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, commonly known as the ISPS Code. Official sources confirmed that the delegation is scheduled to visit the Lagos Port Complex Apapa and the Tin-Can Island Port as part of the exercise, which is expected to conclude on Friday, 6 March 2026. The visit comes at a particularly sensitive time for Nigeria’s maritime sector. For more than a decade, vessels departing Nigerian ports for the United States have been subject to a “Condition of Entry” imposed by the US authorities. The measure was first introduced in 2014 after concerns were raised about deficiencies in Nigeria’s implementation of the ISPS Code, particularly around access control, perimeter security and oversight of port operations. Read more on Ships&Ports

Oyetola Receives New IGP Tunji Disu in Abuja, Pledges Stronger Partnership The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola on Thursday received the newly appointed Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, in Abuja. The Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, in a statement on Thursday, said Minister Oyetola congratulated Disu on his appointment as the Inspector General of Police, describing it as well deserved and expressing confidence in his capacity to deliver effective leadership for the nation’s police. “I warmly congratulate you on your appointment as Inspector-General of Police,” the minister said. “Your track record of professionalism and service inspires confidence that you will perform excellently in this office and further strengthen the security architecture of our country.” Read more on Ships&Ports

The National Secretary of the APC SRJ, has a message for Governor Adeleke🤣